The Alabama Legislature is stepping up efforts to become a smoke-free state with the filing this week of a third bill that would ban smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants.

Proposed by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Indian Hills, House Bill 383 would implement stiffer fines than the current proposals – $100 for a first offense instead of $50.

Business owners and operators that violate the law would face fines up to $1,000 and possible revocation of permit or license for a third offense.

Unlike two similar bills sponsored by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, McClurkin’s proposal makes no exception for private clubs. In municipal smoke-free ordinances, some businesses have used the private-club exemption as a loophole to bypass the ban by claiming to be a private club.

While McClurkin’s bill is assigned to the House Committee on Health, Figures’ is already out of committee and could theoretically come up for a Senate vote as soon as the Rules Committee schedules one.

Figures also filed this session SB 197, which is nearly identical to SB 198 except it requires a constitutional amendment and thus a vote of the public.

Each of the bills would ban smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment.

At 43 cents per pack, Alabama currently has the fifth lowest cigarette tax in the nation behind Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri. It’s also well below the national average of $1.46 per pack, according to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.